Final Week at ABT SI 2011!

Summary: Heat Wave! Tired! Foot hurts below the ankle on outside but it's okay- lots of ice- overworked! Final Performance at the end of the week! See the ad on abt.org- pretty cool!

Kyono's Mom treated us to Chinese food tonight for our hard work the last few weeks ;) We picked up some mad libs and that should keep us busy on the way home Saturday! I grabbed some I heart NY shirts and some last minute gifts today!


It has been sooooo hot! I will miss the city for sure but am very happy to go home and see my family and my pets. My cat will be so happy to see me I know that! Okay more updates through the last week. :)

xox

Robbie

Park Sae-eun (Korea) signs w/ the Paris Opera Ballet!

"This has been my dream since I was a child."

Prix de Lausanne '07

 Congratulations Park Sae-eun (Korea) for signing w/ the Paris Opera Ballet! POB is so exclusive that only 5 percent of its 180 dancers come from outside France! It's actually the law! She is the winner of Prix de Lausanne 2007 and IBC Varna 2010 and danced with ABT II for 2 years (her first place finish in Lausanne earned her that spot) . She is 22 years old and auditioned for the Paris Opera Ballet on July 4th. She finished third among more than 100 applicants. She received an offer to sign with the company the next day. The contract will last until the spring.

Week 4 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011 by Robbie

That's me on the left ;) I am going to miss my friends!

This week has been really fun and HOT and HUMID! 96 on Thursday! Classes have been great this week. I've had all my favorite teachers and tons of fun with my friends. We have been leaving for lunch and buying food at a nearby cafe typa place. Have I mentioned that I LOVE the city. I want to go back to see my family but other than that I really don't want to leave.

I found out that all my dances are in the early show next Friday which is good because they will be all on one video. Some people are spread across 2 shows. We do have dances in class on pointe but I don't think we are on pointe for the show at all. Only bummer about being in the day show only is my friend Ann from youtube can't make the day show. BUT she is visiting me tonight. She will pick me up at ABT and walk back with us to the dorm. I think we will grab some dinner on the way. She lives in NY and crosses the Manhattan bridge to go to school so she knows how to get around. 

The dorms are great. The food is good and last night we watched SYTYCD and night before that was Phantom of the Opera. Some girls brought some DVD's so now I know for next time if I come back. We also had a small fridge brought to our room so that helps and we have a/c of course!! You have to have it here!

I am still on my first pair of pointe shoes. I know it depends on your feet etc but I think most everyone is still on first pair so don't go crazy buying pointe shoes if you are in the 12/13 age group. I came with 3 Russian Pointes, 4 pair if you count my grishkos that were already pretty broken in but I'm not using those . Okay well I guess that is all for now! Class starts at 10 today because no yoga!

OH... I wanted to mention that one of the teachers, Kate Lydon is the Editor in Chief for Dance Spirit Magazine and Olga Dvorovenko is Irina's Mom ;) 

xoxo,

Robbie

Masha, a Portrait of Ballerina Maria Kochetkova - I'm so there!

A Documentary project in San Francisco, CA by Bronwen Parker-Rhodes

It's official! We are going to see the Masha Documentary in August! Beyond excited! Maria Kochetkova is one of my favorite dancers. I saw her at Reflections - The Bolshoi Project at OPAC where I had my pointe shoes signed by some famous dancers! Maria was so nice and left a signed magazine at security for me but I did not see her. I am so, so excited to be going to San Fran for even just one day to watch the movie screening and hopefully meet her! It's kind of a big deal because I have never been to San Fran and as you know I am spending 5 weeks in NY for ABT Summer Intensive. This is a huge surprise and I am so excited. I will for sure blog from there and take photos!! Fingers crossed I get my pointe shoes signed!

xoxox,

Robbie

July 13-14 ABT Summer Intensive New York 2011 End of Week 3 post by Naomi

Getting silly... maybe week 3 is the breaking point ;)

 Today's blog is by Naomi - Kyono's Mom

I can't believe that our NY journey has already passed more than a half way through.  Just two more weeks indeed.

Since we've moved into Markles Residence we've met many more dancers of ABT summer intensive and have chance to speak to their moms as well, so we feel as we've got some team-mates.  Since my girls are the youngest of all they have given girls a warm attention.  Just let me explain about this facility to you.  This Markles Residence is built in 1923( I believe this is the year) by Mr. and Mrs. Markles who had compassion toward young artists and business women who couldn't afford to stay in an expensive hotels in NYC, but passionate about their dreams.  As a result they have made a great amount of donation to build this facility and they wanted this facility to be a evangeline residence where people who stay here can experience "Christ like love".   I have to say that we are so blessed to stay here.

About our special tour in NYC.  We went see one of the great Broadway show "Chicago" last weekend and it was sooooooo great and girls loved it very much.  Our seats are awesome orchestra seat and the theater was quite small, so we could almost feel actors body heat and their sweat.

Yesterday, girls and I went TKTS the discount tickets booth to buy the tickets of Billy Elliot show.  The one so famous especially among ballet dancers because of there are so much of dancing scenes and just a lot of fun watching it. Well, we know that the office opens at 11:00, so we got at a box office around 11:10, we saw more than 100 people in line......  We were in line for nearly 1.5 hours to get our tickets hoping that we get a great seats.  We got mezzanine tickets which was not bad, but we couldn't see actors facial expressions : (    People who are serious going to see a great broadway musical they must have been  at the line much much earlier than us, so next time we will know what to do.  Well, living in NYC is like anything else when we learn new thing..... Life is about learning!  Thanks to the Lord that you gave me an ability to learn things ; )  Anyways, Billy Elliot was 5 THUMBS UP!!!! for sure it was just great fun show, and we are shocked  by enormous energy of Billy and other wonderful actors.  It was totally worth for us lining 1.5hrs.  I want to go see it many more times and I definitely recommend to all of age groups.

Talking about learning, since we've lived for 3weeks, one of the things that I learned is about a cross walk.  Although when it's red New Yorkers go cross it as long as cars are not coming to run over you I think it's one of adaptations skills of us human.  When you've got to go you've got to go thing and I now follow them, so I became part New Yorkers, New Diegans (because I'm Sun Diegans by now).  Another thing I found of an good adaptation is a "dog park" here is located underneath of freeway.  It was very nice one by South Sea Port and it was covered by many gigantic dog toys made by cement and water drinking facility for Dogs.  Only thing I wish it was not so attractive was the entire park was barricaded by thick metal bars to the point it's hard to see inside.  I thought that dogs in San Diego are so blessed to be at open sky dog parks with a lot of sunshine.

Week 3 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011 July 14-15 by Robbie

Could I live here! Yes! My Mom keeps reminding me that it gets cold, but that's okay. I just love the city and I love the view of all the buildings and I kinda know my way around ! I'm tired at the end of the week and I miss my family but I am still sad that there are only 2 weeks left. I'm already thinking about next year! Fingers crossed and praying that I get in again! So whatever you have heard about ABT you should know it's REALLY great, at least the NY location. For sure. I love it. I don't think the classes are too crowded or too big. I get really good training at home and I am not bored here. I think the teachers are all really good.

In variations we are doing the Peasant Dance from Swan Lake Act 1 on pointe. Everyone is pretty happy about that! I had to ice my heel/foot last night. It's fine but probably just overworked. A summer intensive is a good way to get a tiny idea of what professional dancers deal with, yah a TINY idea. ;)

My friend Brigitte is going to guest blog from the Young Dancers SAB Intensive in LA so be sure to follow so in August you can see that! We will upload pics too!

July 9-12 ABT Summer Intensive New York 2011 and Giselle 3D

Natalia Osipova after Reflections - The Bolshoi Project - Natalia stars in Giselle 3D from the Mariinsky!

by Robbie

Saturday we saw Chicago (pics on facebook at www.facebook.com/balletbabble ). I really liked it but, seriously, there was a guy playing a lady singing with a really high voice and I had no idea it was a guy! I think we will have musical theater at the SI coming up. I don't think I'm much of a singer so that should be interesting! Sunday we moved to the dorms. I like it! Back in the top bunk so I feel really at home. My bed at home is high up too. We can see the Empire State Building from here too! Our roommate is really nice she is in Law School, she's from Korea. We have A/C ! Can't live with out that! Also have a desk and drawers. And I have a bug bite on my leg ... it itches like crazy but I am NOT touching it.

Now we can walk to the studio with some of the other girls so that's cool . I stopped at Starbucks and got a panini to save for lunch. Also, realized some other kids came with friend's and their friend's Moms so I'm not the only one with out my Mom here.

I am loving the classes and we had Melissa Bowman finally and the class was sooo fun! I have had her before in California and I really like her a lot. She was also the person that oversaw the auditions in Long Beach and was going back and forth between rooms. Today for La Bayadere I had to dance both casts because my alternate was absent. I was really sweaty but it was fun! Of course extra dancing is always fun! ;)

We are going to Giselle 3D tonight (Tuesday) and my mom saw it earlier today and she loved it! I haven't seen it for a couple of years so I forgot a lot of it. I have never seen Natalia Osipova do a full ballet. I only saw her in Reflections. She is amazing!! I'll post how it was tomorrow!

Empire State Building - View from my dorm - more pics of me in NYC on facebook at www.facebook.com/balletbabble

Blog from Naomi (Kyono's Mom - Robbie's Chaperone)


Our move was done very smoothly with the help from Donna our friend who let us stay in her apartment.

We enjoyed our last walk to Central Park and girls purchased some nice paints from a Chinese gentleman and some carved miniature stone woks with animal figure from an old artist, we are all contented.

Although in our new place we don't have much space and freedom to cook, stretch in middle of the room : ),  watch TV and etc. we have a great view of Empire State Building right in front of our window and few more famous ones, and when we go up to the roof top of our building we have a whole jewels of the NYC : )
We also get to enjoy a great selection of buffet in each meal and those are absolutely yummy :-)  Also, people who work for this residence are very kind and as well as many of residences here are nice especially for my girls.

Lastly, but importantly I have to mention about our commute to the studio have got a lot easier than before.  It's a nice walk through many of the branding stores on 5th avenue and people are walking in fast pace most of the time.  The city is breathing all the time here.

Girls are doing very well, and they are gaining some confidences within the group of the competitive dancers.

It's time for me to find a local library and YMCA, so I can start my routine here.

Had to share the Press Release for the ABT NYC SI Final Performance!

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S NEW YORK SUMMER INTENSIVE
FINAL PERFORMANCES SCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY, JULY 29, 12 P.M. AND 4 P.M., AT FRANK SINATRA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS


Final performances for American Ballet Theatre’s New York Summer Intensive Program are scheduled for Friday, July 29, 2011 at 12 P.M. and 4 P.M. at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, New York.  The performances mark the conclusion of ABT’s 16th annual New York Summer Intensive, a five-week training program for dancers ages 12 to 22.

Summer Intensive students will perform selections from Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Giselle, and Le Corsaire, as well as an excerpt from Alexei Ratmansky’s
The Bright Stream. Additionally, original choreography by Erika Pujic, Adrienne Hurd, Joe Istre, Leslie Browne and Brian Reeder will be featured.

Participants in American Ballet Theatre’s Summer Intensives are chosen through a cross-country audition tour sponsored by Freed of London, Ltd.  This year, more than 4,000 students auditioned in 22 cities across the United States.  ABT’s 2011 Summer Intensives will reach over 1100 participants in New York City and through satellite programs in Michigan, Alabama, Texas and California.

250 students are currently participating in the 2011 New York Summer Intensive.  The annual program at ABT’s New York City studios is a comprehensive course that begins with daily ballet technique class and includes specialized classes in pointe work, partnering, choreography, jazz, character dance, modern dance, musical theater, Pilates and yoga for young dancers.  To complement the dancers’ training, lectures are offered on injury prevention, nutrition and dance history.

Under the direction of Melissa Allen Bowman, the 2011 New York Summer Intensive Program incorporates a faculty of ABT alumni, members of ABT’s Artistic Staff and renowned teachers, including Kevin McKenzie, Franco De Vita, Wes Chapman, Kate Lydon, Ethan Brown, Leslie Browne, Harriet Clark, Olga Dvorovenko, Brian Reeder, Lupe Serrano, David Howard and Rosanna Seravalli.

Scünci is the Official Hair Accessory of the ABT Summer Intensive. 

Frank Sinatra School of the Arts is located at 35-12 35th Avenue in Astoria,
New York.  For detailed directions, please visit http://www.franksinatraschoolofthearts.org.  Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children and students and will go on sale to the public on Friday, July 29 at 11 A.M. in the theatre lobby.  For more information, please call the Summer Intensive Hotline at 212.477.3030, ext. 3416 or email summerintensive@abt.org.  Please visit www.abt.org for more information.

-30-

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Time to catch up! July 3-8 by Robbie

July 3 -  We went swimming at the YMCA to relax tensed up muscles.  The YMCA that we went to was not the kind of YMCA we used to go to in San Diego. It was more like a luxurious hotel with hundreds of workout machines lined up by the giant windows and at the receptionist desk there were gentlemen dressed with black jackets and ties! We had fun swimming there, so hopefully we can swim at least once a week!

July 4 - No training today! We went out to "5th Avenue" for window shopping and later in the afternoon we were at Battery Park where we could see the Statue of Liberty.  Instead of going to the actual island by ferry we enjoyed walking by the water and talked with a fisherman ( he caught a giant blue fin) and a tourist from Brazil ( they said that they will stay there until the fireworks).  It was an absolutely gorgeous view of the ocean and the statue.  We decided to go back to our apartment on the upper east side and enjoy fireworks from the rooftop of the building.   It was pretty to look at the fireworks from between the skyscrapers in NYC and it was very special for us :-)



July 5-8  So we figured out that what we were calling the "Maple Dance" is actually the May Pole Dance! Too funny! Our schedule rotates around and the teachers change around too! Pas de deux is so much fun and I got to partner with 2 different boys this week because one had to leave. Also learning some interesting things in yoga like how to sort of gently hit your legs to loosen up the muscles. But I have a stick for that. I always forget to use it to roll out my legs before and after class! If you want to see what it looks like go to www.stretchology.com .

Franco De Vita (Principal of JKO School)

Jazz was a blast this week and we are learning more variations. We finally had Franco (Principal of JKO School)! At first he was a little "scary" at first but I loved his class. I always end up really liking the "scary" teachers. He asked us where we were from and after that he called us "San Diego" "Florida" etc. so maybe not so scary after all ;) I hope we have him again next week. So far I really like all the teachers and the other students. But getting a little homesick now. I hope my Mom can come out the last week. We have been skyping.

One of my new friends from New Jersey, we found out that I went to elementary school with her cousin in California. Small world! Many of us went to see Sleeping Beauty at the MET. I can't believe I saw a ABT at the MET in NYC! I hope to dance there someday. One of the boys in our class was in the party scene. I love the part where the evil witch arrives. They shoot in a light or fire ball of some type maybe like a firework and she appears in a puff of smoke . It's so cool. Hee Seo was Lilac Fairy (Princess Florine shown below). I love her. Last time I saw ABT do this show in LA she was Puss n Boots and I really love that costume! It is so cute! Irina was beyond great as usual!! She didn't dance with her husband this time though.

So Sunday we move to the dorms. I'm excited. Some other girls are staying there also and there are bunk beds but no kitchens so I guess we will be buying lunch the next 3 weeks. Today is Saturday and we are going to see Chicago! We are going to try to see Billy Elliot before we leave. Kiril Kulish and David Alvarez who have done Billy in the past- the year they won the Emmy- used to train with my dance teacher Maxim Tchernychev (he's amazing by the way) . Also I think Kiril is now at the JKO school along with another boy from my old studio (Beau).

My first pair of Russian Pointes are broken in but feel good so next week I am going to break in another pair so I have 2 I can alternate between. They rub a little on my pinky toes but I just tape them so NO blisters for me. I love these shoes!

Day 6 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011

It's a Saturday! Sure felt good to sleep in! Okay so Thursday and Friday were really fun. We started learning "The Maple Dance" in Rep and I think the music is from the first act of Swan Lake (?) Looks like Kyono and I are the only girls from California in this age group (12/13). Some others are from Florida, NY, New Jersey and Delaware, not sure where else.

Next week we get to see Irina Dvorovenko in ABT's Swan Lake and we get Franco De Vita for technique and pointe class I think! He is the principal of the JKO school so we are excited about that!

It is hot and humid here and today (Saturday) we are going bike riding in Central Park. Tomorrow some shopping I think and maybe Monday fireworks on the rooftop of our building. We are on the 13th floor but it's okay because that is Kyono's family's lucky number! Also we are in a great neighborhood.

xoxo,

Robbie

Day 5 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011

 

Today's Blog is by Naomi- Kyono's Mom

Our girls finished this Friday with painful legs.  First Robbie came out of the building with an expression of being completely fatigued, then Kyono comes out with a frowning face.  Before I asked them how they were doing Kyono had told me that her right ankle was hurting so much...  I asked Kyono that if she needed medical attention, then she replied to me no need.  Then I asked Robbie if she had any painful parts in her body.  Then I found out that Robbie's right ankle was inflamed as well. :-(  I was afraid of them getting sick and how hopeless I would become.  I asked Kyono why she didn't go see a physical therapist at ABT, and she told me it started during the last class, so she didn't want to go see the physical therapist......

We took a rest on the benches on Broadway St. for a while.   I gave both girls a warm epson salt foot baths and heat compress for the achey ankles and knees as soon as we got to our apartment.
After a while the girls were much better in spirit because not only they felt better, but they knew that it's going to be a big three day weekend!!   They said "Yeah, we can sleep in till really late!  and we can go shopping!!"  Well I don't know about going shopping though..I thought these 3~4 days would be hard for girls because they are realizing how hard their courses are, and in the same time they started missing mom, dad, sister, brother, dogs, cat, bunny and rats?  I've got to be a patient, loving and wise mother with His help otherwise we will all sink.  

Update! Girls are completely back to 100% for class Tuesday! No serious problems. Three days off to recover from the first week was perfect!

Day 4 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011

 

More details tomorrow on Day 4... all I can say right now is tired and yoga tomorrow ;)

Day 3 ABT NYC Summer Intensive 2011

 

Day 3: FUN ! FUN! FUN! Pilates, Technique (had some new combinations), Pas de Deux (probably my favorite for the day and the boys were pretty good), Modern (very cool music - kind of like African drums), Choreography (worked on our variation for the show). 

Then after we went to H&M and I bought a cute skirt :) and I think we are going to go see ABT do Sleeping Beauty next week because we can get tix for $12! New pics up www.facebook.com/balletbabble

News Flash! ABT NYC SI Produces Black Swans! ;) Day 2 by Robbie

Okay so... not exactly! But definitely some Black Swans in the making. Today we had technique class, choreography and character. We started to learn a variation from La Bayadere for the final performance in choreography. In pointe class we were allowed to wear a wrap skirt if we wanted to and I wore my new Russian pointes and broke them in pretty well! There are 35 12-13 year olds in the RED group, my group. Five or 6 are boys. 

On the street we saw this guy acting like a robot and if you put some money in his jar and he made this weird robot noise with his mouth . Pics on facebook in the ABT album. Gotta love New York! Don't forget to follow on www.facebook.com/balletbabble and twitter at www.twitter.com/balletbabble.

xoxo,

Robbie

Blog post from Kyono's Mom Naomi:

Day 2, Girls were so excited because they found that by audition they were placed in same group, Red group. They had a regular barre class, point shoes class, injury prevention lecture, choreography class and character dance class today, and they were absolutely tired, but happy.  They almost finished all of the lunch and snacks that I packed (it was a lot to eat for them), but they said they were hungry.  I was so thankful for their healthy bodies which allow them to dance so hard ALL DAY. Tomorrow they will have almost same class, but pilates class will be added instead of character dance.

My First 2 days in New York for ABT Summer Intensive! by Robbie

Okay so the flight wasn't that bad... but towards the end the pressure of the airplane did make my head feel like it was going to pop so we got off just in time! We have a nice little apartment for 2 weeks then we are moving to some dorms that are a few blocks away from ABT for the last 3 weeks. Right now we will take the subway. There is a CVS downstairs and we have already been to the CAPEZIO store! I also bought some cute slipper boots for the studio - you can see them on my facebook page along with all my other photos I'm uploading. www.facebook.com/balletbabble

The first day we had placement class it was half barre, half, center and 15 minutes of pointe. Melissa Bowman was the "judge". Then lunch then nutrition, injury prevention and orientation. I saw some girls I met at the winter SI prep class at CCD so it was nice to recognize a couple of people. Also I met 2 of the girls that played Clara at Radio City Hall last year. Okay I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT! But I'm pretty sure you have to live in NYC and maybe even go to the JKO School, I'm not sure.

More tomorrow!

xoxo

Robbie

Blog post from Kyono's Mom Naomi:

First day, we were approaching the building around 8:15, then we saw over 100 of people (dancers and parents) already lining in front of the building anxiously waiting the door to be open.  There were definitely sparks all over the crowds. My 2 puny dancers were almost over whelmed by other dancers whom most likely had attended ABT summer intensive previously, but they were keeping each other so accountable and weren't fazed by the spark from others.  Yes, I was so proud of them.  Soon, the line became so much longer and by 8:30 it was just so many dancers and parents from all over the world.  Finally the door opened and dancers had disappeared into the building one by one and when my girls went inside it was my turn to deal with my own emotion...... I held my tears hard :-)

Last Sunday we tested riding the NYC subway system for purchasing city maps, last minute ballet gear shopping and etc.,    The subway system in NYC is so precise and you can pretty much to every where using subway, but there are so many stairs as long as you are in NYC subway and there are no escalators what so ever, so I felt as I had been climbing at least 1,000 stairs since we arrived in NYC. ;)

Blogging from ABT SI NYC 2011

Robbie is going to call me each day and talk about her day and I will blog it for you. This should give all you dancers out there a really good idea of what to expect at an intensive! Stay tuned and be sure to follow the blog! ;)

ABT New York Summer Intensive 2011 Housing Resource

I found a great post on Nichelle's Dance Advantage Blog from a Nina Amir who's son is a dancer and has been to ABT NY. The housing situation is clearly a topic of interest! If you want to read Nina's guest article go to http://danceadvantage.net/2010/03/01/summer-intensive-parents/#comment-4337 . Also there is an ABT NY Summer Intensive facebook group you can join at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_183885458317747  hopefully we can build it up with some parents and students headed to New York 2011 and share information!

Too Many Sugar Plums?

While it is clear that professional ballet demands a certain body type I find it hard to believe that a New York Times critic insinuated that Jenifer Ringer of New York City Ballet is overweight. I have seen ballet's with visibly overweight dancers to the point that they could barely be lifted and I can safely say that Ringer is not FAT!! Please go to this link and see her on the Today show and read the entire story.


NYCB's Jenifer Ringer on the TODAY Show

The Secrets of Russian Ballet - DVD Release

ORDER the New 2-Disc Set DVD series "The Secrets of Russian Ballet" Vol 1 for the Special Holiday price of just $59.95 and gain exclusive access to the DVD Facebook group where you can post video or written questions about the DVD, learn additional Russian Ballet Secrets and tune into our online seminars all for FREE for customers who buy the DVD from this store!

DVD Features:

- Over 3.5 Hours of Corrections, Explanations and Demonstrations.

- The Conrad Method- The Evolution of the Vaganova Method and the method for teaching it in America.

- The New Russian Ballet Documentary" The American Choreographer with a Russian Soul".

This DVD series was created for : Ballet Students, Teachers, Ballet Masters, Choreographers, Professional Dancers, Directors, Scholars, and fans of ballet who wish to see how the great Russian ballet stars have been trained.  ORDER HERE

Masha, a portrait of Maria Kochetkova

We are anxiously awaiting the release of this documentary by Bronwen Parker-Rhodes! Enjoy the trailer!!